Singh was presented the degree by Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, at the university’s 17th convocation ceremony.

The President of Indian Council for Cultural Relations, who was chief guest at the function, is the first foreigner to receive such an honour by Kathmandu University.

“Dr Singh is an eminent scholar and we had been planning to invite him here. But it got delayed due to the political problems in Nepal,” said Mahesh Banskota, Dean (School of Arts), Kathmandu University.

In his speech, Dr Singh remembered his wife Yasho Raj Laxmi, who belonged to Kathmandu. He mentioned how he got yash (fame), raj (power) and lakshmi (money) after marrying her.